


Easy as Pie

by ineedabetterhaircut



Series: pie puns and emotions [1]
Category: Gilmore Girls, Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gilmore Girls Setting, Angst and Humor, Emotions, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, kono is the real mvp, mcdanno, oblivious idiots in love, only for a second though - Freeform, pie pornography, so is chin, so much gay, this may or may not be a mistake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-10 11:35:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6983302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineedabetterhaircut/pseuds/ineedabetterhaircut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unnecessary Gilmore Girls au because I just started watching it again and there were too many parallels... OR the one where Steve is a grumpy diner owner with daddy issues, and Danny is a pie-and-coffee-dependent, snarky single dad with a complicated past working at a local inn. They have feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Damn you, Steven McGarrett,” Danny moaned around a bite of the best god damn cherry pie he had ever tasted in his life. Steve looked down with a small grin, what looked like a light blush coloring his cheeks. Danny continued to eat, slurping and sighing.

“Jesus Danny, stop with the noises, you’re scaring away my customers,” he grumbled, still smiling slightly as he set a cup of steaming coffee in front of him. Danny’s eyes went wide, a little drool already forming in the corner of his mouth. 

“Marry me?” 

“Your tendency to ask for my hand in marriage every time I bring you a cup of coffee probably isn’t healthy you know,” Steve huffed, rolling his eyes as he went behind the counter.

“But I want to have children with this coffee.”

“Shut up.”

“You of all people know that’s impossible to ask of Dad, right?” Grace teased as she pushed open the diner door, making a beeline for the counter.

“Lies! Betrayed by my own flesh and blood!” Danny clutched his chest. He scowled at Steve’s little huff of laughter, taking an irate sip of his coffee. Grace swooped in, depositing a sweet kiss on his cheek. 

“Sorry Dad, I was kidding I swear,” the sixteen year old smiled, turning to Steve with a silent plea for coffee on her face.

“Yeah, damn right,” he muttered, finishing up the last of his pie while grumbling a litany of profanities under his breath.

“Hey, if you don’t quit it, I’ll cut you off,” Steve warned, wagging a finger in Danny’s face.

“Pie or coffee?”

“Both.”

“You would never!” 

Steve raised an eyebrow and Danny spluttered, clutching his coffee against his chest protectively. Grace giggled, while Steve just managed to look both serene, victorious, and mildly annoyed all at once. Danny was still protesting as Grace pushed him out the door, Steve waving good bye in a way that absolutely infuriated him. 

“You are a sadistic heathen, you know that?!” he yelled through the window, only to have that smug McGarrett grin thrown back at him.

***

Sixteen years ago, Danny, freshly eighteen, had stumbled into Stars Hollow holding an infant and clutching a wrinkled wallet with about five dollars and sixty two cents left in it. His clothes were worn thin, the bags under his tired eyes a deep violet, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in weeks. He hadn’t actually met Steve his first day in; he had spent a few days at Miss Tennenbaum’s dance studio (she had immediately taken him in as soon as he had stopped to ask for directions, feeding him plate after plate of her special cookies and letting him sleep on a little cot in the back room), when he eventually made his way to Ohana, the McGarrett family diner. At the time, Steve was nineteen and working alongside his dad and sister, when the pale, wild eyed teenager had burst in, stomach grumbling loudly. Steve’s father, a hardened Navy veteran, had gone soft around the eyes (a truly rare occurrence), offering young Danny a free piece of pie and a cup of coffee. While Danny sat, wolfing down what ended up being an entire cherry pie, Steve’s father had put in a call to a friend who owned the local inn, and that’s how Danny had gotten a job. Even with all his shortcomings as a father for his own children, Danny had never forgotten what Mr. McGarrett had done for him and Gracie. 

After that, things had just seemed to fall into place. Danny had a place to live, a steady job, and even a few friends. Yes, he had lived in the attic of the Kukui Inn for seven years before he saved up enough money to buy his own shitty little place, but at least his baby girl had a crib and a roof over her head; at least he could bury himself in enough small town gossip to forget why exactly he had come running to Stars Hollow, to forget that his parents lived less than thirty minutes away… These were complicated thoughts that he had long since banished from his brain, choosing instead to focus on raising Gracie to be better than him. Of course, she was already better; smart and dedicated, responsible and wonderfully kind, she was everything that he had never been. It was no wonder that, just after she turned sixteen, she got into Chilton, a fancy prep school whose students were bound for the ivy league and maseratis. It was a dream come true, really; his little girl had always wanted to go to Harvard, and damn it, he was going to do whatever it took to get her there. Even if it meant paying for a school that he soon realized he couldn’t afford, no matter how much extra time he took at work. Which meant having to drive to his parents, whom he hadn’t talked to in over ten years, and having to beg for money to pay the tuition. Which had led to a compromise; his parents would kindly pay for Gracie to go to Chilton if Danny agreed to come to dinner every Friday. Obviously, he agreed; Danny would suffer every passive aggressive comment and attempt to set him up if it meant Grace could pursue her dreams.

*** 

Danny and Steve had quickly formed an odd and contemptuous relationship; when they weren’t screaming in each other’s faces, they were ditching town meetings together, infuriating Wo Fat (the town’s annoyingly narrow minded mayor of nearly ten years). Slowly, contempt turned to begrudging fondness, and Danny found himself dragging Grace to the diner nearly every morning for breakfast, while Steve started coming over with increased frequency (first, it was to fix Danny’s “horrible safety hazard of a porch”, then his fence, then his door…). It seemed to outside observers that both men couldn’t go a day without talking to one another, whether it was throwing an insult as they passed in the street or simply finding an excuse to stop by. Even when Danny was promoted to executive manager at the inn, meaning that he was constantly busy, he found time to come by Ohana for a cup of coffee. Every time something broke at the inn, Steve was always the one to swing by and fix it. Each time he came in, wearing tight jeans and a tank top that showed off his unbelievable muscles, people would either swoon where they stood or shoot Danny knowing looks (and okay sure, Steve wasn’t the only guy in town who could fix a busted pipe, but he was Danny’s friend and did all that shit for very little money… It was a perfectly reasonable explanation for why he continually hired him instead of the town’s actual fix-it service).

Either way, Danny could safely say that Steve was one of his closest friends in Stars Hollow; Gracie had been calling him Uncle Steve since she was nine, so it was a set thing. They were a little family; Steve was one of those friends who could always have a beer and just talk, no matter how late it was. Danny found his impassive attitude towards town drama refreshing. Make no mistake, Danny and Steve could turn any little thing (like whether blueberry muffins or banana nut muffins were better, for example) into a full blown argument; things got broken, people winced, and some of the more shameless members of town set out a picnic and watched. Danny didn’t know anybody else who could cause his face to turn a worryingly bright shade of magenta like Steve. His friends often joked that they were like an old married couple, but Danny would deny that till his dying breath. Yes, he and Steve were so in synch that it was a little scary sometimes, but Steve McGarrett drove Danny absolutely crazy with his terrible ideas and his need to be right. Danny had no doubt that he and Steve were just best friends; he knew that, despite what people said, they would be absolutely horrible together. Steve’s skewed perception of right and wrong often led to fights like this:

“Steve,” Danny hissed under his breath, roughly pulling him off to the side during the middle school carnival.

“Jesus Danny, ow! What?” he groused, rubbing his pinched forearm.

“Okay so, please please please tell me I am wrong when I say that Reese and Gracie have been mysteriously getting closer? Please let me know that the boy with spiky black hair and an earring that I saw climbing out of my window at 11 p.m. is in fact another eighteen year old boy that just happens to look a lot like Reese! Steven!” Danny’s voice had escalated in pitch; it was practically a hysterical squeak, attracting a few wary eyes. But, in his defense, he had gone a solid two days without going after the little punk so he was showing some serious self-restraint. 

“Danny…” Steve started, a hint of guilt in his eyes. Danny immediately brought both his hands up to his temples, massaging furiously to fight off the monstrous headache he knew was coming.

“Danny,” Steve started again, “I swear that they’re not doing anything. I promise, Reese’s intentions are completely pure. He’s just… He’s a really smart kid, alright? He’s just lazy, and I was kinda hoping that… maybe… Gracie could study with him? I mean, she’s a great kid-”

“The greatest-”

“Yeah, exactly. So, I just thought it would help. Reese refuses to get a tutor, so I thought that Grace would be the next best thing, I mean, they get along really well and I trust her so much. As for the window thing, it’s because Reese is deathly afraid of you because he thinks you’re going to come after him with a bat and Gracie hates lying to you but she knows you wouldn’t approve and…”

Steve McGarrett was rambling. Steve “communicates with monosyllabic text messages and annoyed grunts” McGarrett was rambling and while any other day that would’ve distracted the fuck out of Danny, today was no ordinary day. He was so mad, he could feel his ears turning bright red. His fists clenched as the image of his little girl kissing Steve’s bad boy nephew on a big, clunky motorcycle came crashing through his head. Steve had stopped talking, but Danny barely noticed, seeing red.

“Danny?” Steve placed a timid hand on his shoulder, looking a little like he was fearing for his life. Danny just breathed loudly in response.

“Look, I get that you’re mad okay, Gracie’s your little girl and you’re overprotective, I get that. But Reese really needs help, I don’t see the harm…” he trailed off, watching Danny’s flaring nostrils and tense shoulders. “Just… look, okay, if it’s Reese that you’re worried about because he’s, well, Reese, just tell me. Cut the bull shit and tell me that you don’t want your kid hanging out with mine,” Steve said firmly, removing his hand from Danny’s shoulder and crossing his arms in front of him.

“I don’t want your kid hanging out with mine.”

“Wha- mother fucker!” Steve practically yelled, and all eyes snapped to his looming figure while a few parents gasped. He was too busy glaring at Danny to notice.

“Have you absolutely no shame? You just shouted fuck in front of a bunch of kids, McGarrett!” Danny also yelled, turning a little pinker when more shocked gasps came from the crowd. A few people sat down to watch.

“Well, it was warranted, Danny, seeing how you just implied that your kid is too good for my kid! Is that the problem; are you worried that Reese is gonna, what, turn Gracie bad or something? He’s not a disease, Williams!” Steve was in his face now, jaw tense. 

“I’m not saying that at all, McGarrett. I am simply saying that I don’t want your kid around my kid. You know my stance on boys!” Danny wailed, his hands aggressively flailing.

“Well it sure sounds like what I think it sounds like, Danny. You know, not all of us can have kids who are not only the town sweetheart, but also intelligent, straight A students! Some of us have kids that are less than perfect… I'm sorry you don't want my kid tainting your kid or something,” Steve growled, shoving at Danny’s chest. 

“Steve, I'm not saying that my kid is any better than yours, Jesus fuc-” Danny whipped his head around to see a group of sixth graders watching them with fascination. He lowered his voice to a harsh whisper as he said, “Fucking Christ, McGarrett, stop putting words in my mouth! Grace is under no circumstances allowed to see Reese… I see the way they look at each other! It's not gonna happen, not on my watch. End. Of. Story. Now, get out of my face.”

Danny pushed Steve back, face red and hands shaking. The crowd parted for him as he started to stalk away.

“Danny wai-” but Danny angrily shrugged Steve’s hand off his arm, pushing through the throng of nosy people. 

***

Danny made it a solid six days without giving in and going to Ohana. He went everywhere; The Hungry Diner, Kamekona’s House of Waffles (surprisingly, he had never served waffles, not even once. Mainly shrimp), hell, he’d even gone to a little bistro the next town over. But the pie. And the coffee. Nothing in the entire world could compare to the pure craftsmanship that was Steve McGarrett’s pastries with a side of absolute heaven in a cup. So on Friday morning, Danny swallowed his pride, marching determinedly towards the cheery doors of the diner. He could see Steve suppressing what was sure to be a smug grin, and he felt his fingers twitching. He walked up to the counter, willing himself not to grab Steve by the collar and punch him in his stupid, beautiful face. He cleared his throat.

“Steven.”

“Danno.” Steve tilted his head, and Danny could feel his toes curling.

“Don’t call me that, asshole,” he muttered through gritted teeth. Was getting a decent slice of pie and some good-ish coffee really worth this much pain?

“Cut it out, Williams. I know why you’re here,” Steve winked (catching Danny completely and utterly by surprise), producing an actual wet dream of a cherry pie; thick and fluffy crust, cherry sauce oozing from the sides, sprinkled with powdered sugar, GOD Danny practically had a boner. 

“Close your mouth, Danny, you’ll let all the flies in.” Steve had his back to Danny, but he could hear the fucking smirk in his voice. “Besides, you’re not even ready for the coffee.” 

As soon as the scent of roasted coffee beans and cinnamon hit his nose, Danny could’ve sworn he came right then and there. He stared rapturously at his awaiting breakfast, silently grateful that no one was around to hear his truly pitiful noises as he dug into his food. He could’ve sworn that he heard Steve emit a small whimper, but glanced up to find that he was alone. Not that he was bothered; he was too wrapped up in eating to really notice anything but the scent of coffee and cherry permeating the air. Through his ecstasy, he dimly registered Steve clattering about the kitchen. Sighing, he realized that a damn good piece of pie and some coffee wasn’t really going to satisfy him; he was a Williams through and through in the fact that he needed closure. Draining his coffee, he went behind the counter, following the noise of various kitchen utensils clinking together.

“Hey, Steve?” Steve’s head whipped around the corner.

“Yeah?”

“I’m… uh, I’m sorry for implying that your kid was dirt. And that he was gonna taint Gracie, or something. It was uncalled for, because I know how much you care about Reese and, yeah, I’m sorry.” Danny scratched his elbow in the silence, one of his nervous tics.

“It’s, uh, it’s fine. Really,” he added at Danny’s pointed eyebrow raise. “I know that Reese is a troublemaker, I mean it’s… It’s not exactly something that I can ignore but… he’s a good kid deep down, Danny, I swear. And, you were completely right to yell at me like that. Gracie’s your little girl, hell, she’s practically my little girl, and you had every right to freak-”

“I did not ‘freak’,” Danny mumbled, crossing his arms a bit petulantly. Steve snorted.

“Yes, you absolutely did ‘freak’, Danny. I heard Mrs. Faretti describe your face as ‘the most brilliant shade of crimson’ she had ever witnessed. But-” he continued, holding a hand up when Danny tried to interrupt. “I completely understand… And I’m really sorry for not checking with you first. I know that, after everything with Dean-” Danny winced, rubbing his forehead at the memory. Dean was Gracie’s first “real” boyfriend, until she had gone to D.C. for the summer and he had decided that he had feelings for another girl. The breakup was awful; Grace had refused to come out of her room for days, eating nothing but mint chocolate chip ice cream and potato chips. Needless to say, Danny did not ever want her to go through a thing like that again, so if he was a little overprotective when it came to new boys in her life, it was completely justified. His daughter deserved the very best and, no offense to Steve’s nephew or anything, but Reese practically had a glowing neon sign over his head saying “Hey! I’m a bad boy rebel who's going to have sex with your daughter, cause her grades to plummet, and then break her heart in the absolute worst way possible just by being an emotionally stunted dipshit!” 

“So yeah, I’m sorry for all of it. I didn’t mean to yell at you but Reese is…” Steve trailed off, and Danny shot him a knowing look. 

“And hey, if Reese does end up messing with Gracie, I promise you that blood relative or not, I will help you beat him to a pulp,” he finished, clapping a hand on Danny’s shoulder cheerfully. Danny smiled, ducking his head because it felt just a touch too sappy. And things were alright.

***

“You know, this is getting kind of ridiculous,” Kono, Danny’s coworker, started. Danny looked up distractedly from the papers he had been sifting through.

“Huh?”

“Like, with Steve?” Danny stared blankly, incomprehending. 

“Ugh, this isn’t even funny anymore. You two have been circling each other for years, driving the whole town crazy with your built up UST-” At that, Danny spluttered. 

“-And I’ve had enough, to be honest. I mean seriously, how long is it gonna take before one of you idiots make a move? Speaking truthfully here, Danny, I think it’s gonna have to be you, because Steve has the emotional range of a rusty teapot-”

“Kono-”

“-You should really go for it! It’s obvious to anyone with eyes that you two have something special. Danny,” Kono took Danny’s hand, looking almost desperate. “You saw how Steve was after Catherine ran off. He was devastated. The great ‘love of his life’ left him at the altar, and he just… shut himself off. We all watched him sort of self destruct; I mean, he was never that great with the emotional stuff to begin with, but that completely wrecked him. The only other time I’ve ever seen Steve that sad is when his dad died, and god damn it Danny Williams, you make him happy! Even if your head is so far up your ass that you can’t see that, you do. And each day, I see you two fucking going at it like a goddamn married couple and it frustrates me! If only you two emotionally stunted blockheads-”

“Excuse me-” 

“-would cut the crap… You guys could have a real shot at being happy! Just, consider it, okay? Steve’s… going fishing soon and I know for a fact that he’s totally and completely free tonight… So do what you want, but I strongly suggest climbing him like a tree and confessing your love for him and then having some fantastic sex-”

“Jesus fucking christ, Kono, alright, alright! I promise to ask Steve out for some coffee or something if you please just shut up! I don’t want the whole goddamn inn to know details about my failed love life, you know!” Danny hissed, face an alarming shade of pink. He could feel his ears burning as he went to answer a call with a loud, “What?!”

“O-okay Danno, sounds like you’ve been having a stressful day… I can call back, if you want?” Steve’s voice said through the tinny speakers, sounding calm and wonderful and great, that is exactly what Danny needed right now. 

“No!” Danny shouted just a hair too quickly, sheepishly ducking his head at the few stares he got. “Uh, I mean, no. No, you don’t have to go, uhm, we can talk now,” he finished lamely, wanting to bang his head against the nearest wall. He could feel Kono laughing at him and tried his very best to smooth over his frustration. 

“Uh, okay. So, here’s the thing; Reese hasn’t unpacked all his stuff yet and the apartment looks like an actual bomb was dropped in it so I was wondering if you would want to, I don’t know, help me clean up the place? I know it sounds really weird and kind of like a waste of time, but I don’t really know who else to ask and Reese and I are practically drowning in old records.” Danny was stunned, seeing Steve’s bumbling offer for what it… was. He couldn’t really wrap his head around it. What could this lead to? What would this lead to? 

“Uh, Danny?” 

“Oh uh, yeah yes, yes, I will go ou- uh, clean, with you. You, me, cleaning. Should be a rollicking good time,” Danny’s voice cracked on rollicking, and he greatly resisted the urge to facepalm. 

"Smooth," Kono snickered. Danny shushed her. 

“Uh… okay, that, uh, that sounds great. Does seven work? I’ll leave the door unlocked and you can just come up. We’ll have some beer, clean… We should be done no later than one, if, uh, that’s okay?” Steve sounded so adorably uncertain, and Danny’s poor heart could not take this anymore. 

“Yup, that is great. Stunning, fantastic, I am positively beaming at the thought of going through musty records and clothes reeking of rebellious teenage boy with you. Simply marvelous, Steven.” Not even Kono’s bewildered stare could get him to shut up at this point.

“So, it’s, uh, it’s a date then?” 

“It is a date, though of course not that kind of date, but yes, a… date.”

“Okay… I’ll see you at seven.”

“Yes, yep, definitely. It will no doubt be… rollicking, or something, uh anyways, bye!” And, like the chicken he was, Danny hung up too quickly for Steve to say goodbye or to cancel or even to suggest a good therapist. He made sure that he had hung up before banging the receiver against his head, ignoring Kono’s snorts of laughter. About a minute of silence and the soft thud of the phone hitting Danny’s forehead passed before:

“Rollicking?”

“Just- shut up! That whole awkward conversation of horrible awkwardness was your fault! Your fault!” Danny could feel himself pouting but he honestly didn’t care at the moment.

“Okay but, you said rollicking. A ‘rollicking good time’, like you were some kind of plastic teenager from the fifties or something. And then you said it again! Twice! That’s twice that you said rollicking in the same conversation, Danny, and that’s really scary-”

“I panicked, okay? I panicked because I realized that there was a huge chance that Steve, as in Steven McGarrett, as in grumpy diner owner with daddy issues who only speaks in fluent sarcasm, was asking me out on a date that could lead to things! Lead to things, Kono! I haven’t gone on a date in years! Do you realize how blue my balls are right about now? They’re like two ginormous blueberries-”

“Okay, okay, I get it! Steve is, Steve and you’re, well, you. But, c’mon seriously… Rollicking?”

Danny’s head hit the desk with a despondent thunk.

***

The diner was completely dark by the time Danny came around (fifteen minutes late, because of course); the sign had evidently been flipped haphazardly to closed and Danny nervously looked at his watch just to make sure he wasn’t somehow early. What alarmed Danny, however, was the locked door (and he distinctly remembered Steve saying he would leave the door unlocked) and the piece of paper taped on the door reading “Some other time?”. Danny pulled nervously at his shirt (his date shirt!) collar, looking around to check that this wasn’t in fact a rare McGarrett practical joke. When Steve didn’t jump out of the bushes laughing, Danny deflated, throwing the note into the trash can nearby. He already knew that with Gracie sleeping over at her best friend’s, it was the kind of night that promised an entire six pack of beer and Andy Griffith reruns. He was grumbling to himself as he trudged to his car, pulling out his keys when 5’9” of Hawaiian native launched herself at him, nearly knocking him over.

“Kono, not that I don’t appreciate your company right now because believe me, being bailed on is not a good feeling, especially when it’s supposed to be a ‘date’ or something, but why-”

“Catherine’s back. And she’s early.” Danny’s keys slipped from his fingers, clattering to the ground.

“Shit.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *angst*

The diner was closed for two days and the town talked. Incessantly. Catherine, the beautiful and mysterious runaway bride was back after nearly six years, and no one knew what to do about it. Normally around this time, her parents, a very nice elderly couple who lived on a large dairy farm just outside of town, would talk about her coming to visit, meaning that one Steve McGarrett would quickly make himself scarce; this involved putting up a crudely made “Gone Fishing” sign and disappearing for a week, sometimes even two. Normally during this period of Steve-lessness, Danny’s mind remained in a constant state of worry and his stomach felt like there was a big ass knot sitting in it; this would lead to him roping Gracie into having a (frankly unhealthy) Andy Griffith marathon snack fest. After eating himself into a sugar coma, he would go about the rest of the “Time Without Steve” pretending that he wasn’t worried one bit (while secretly adding an extra inch of cheese to his pizza). Gracie and Kono would cluck in disapproval, shooting him worried glances when they thought he wasn’t looking, while Chin (his other best friend in town and a chef at the inn), just fed him homemade meal after homemade meal to appease him. It’s not that Danny tended to worry too much (but he totally did), it was just that he was a man who liked routine and order. When Steve was gone, he and Gracie would either eat a bowl of some horribly (wonderful) unhealthy cereal or drag themselves all the way to Kamekona’s. Since the diner was far closer (and that had always been the only reason), this was a situation that didn’t really work for either Danny or Gracie, as well as the rest of the town. Everyone always breathed a sigh of relief when Steve finally trudged back into town, bait box in hand and looking tired as hell.

But this time, there was no sign. There was no indication that Steve should’ve been gone, except for the dark diner and the fact that Ohana’s normal patrons were all milling around like they didn’t quite know what to do with themselves. This continued for two days, while rumors ranging from not so insane to absolutely outlandish spread throughout town. During these two days, Danny: 1. Had three massive Chin-specialty grilled cheese sandwiches. 2. Tried to get Gracie to skip school in order to watch Netflix with him. and 3. Had a (not so) mini freak out about what the hell he was doing with Steve, which led to him eating an entire tub of breakfast ice cream (his specialty; rocky road ice cream covered in maple syrup and whatever other delicious things could be found) at Kono’s while she looked on disapprovingly. Of course, these were events that, no matter how much torture was administered, Danny would never admit to participating in. Truth be told, a Danny freak out was embarrassing for everyone involved. But finally, finally, it was Tuesday and Steve was back. Practically the whole town stampeded towards Ohana; rushing to confront him, Danny assumed. He had already made a silent pact with himself that he wasn’t going to go to the diner for at least another day; he was still pretty pissed that Steve had bailed on him, and with a note no less. Instead of texting him like a normal human being, he had pulled a “Gone Fishing” and left Danny hanging. So that was his decision, and he was sticking to it. Even if it meant another agonizing day of drinking the inn’s shitty coffee, he was sticking to it.

***

Danny was a weak human being. So, so weak. It was lunch time later that day, and he currently found himself standing apprehensively outside the diner doors, peeking in. People were laughing and eating, and the wonderful scent of coffee loosened the knot in his stomach. He breathed a sigh of relief, pushing open the doors and getting ready to fire his best insults at Steve, when he stopped short. A woman was behind the counter, a beautiful, perfect brunette who was wearing Steve’s apron and serving Steve’s coffee, and Danny could see now all the suspicious stares being thrown her way in between conversations. Danny’s mind was stuck on the apron because Steve never let anyone wear his apron ever and suddenly there wasn’t enough air in the room and Danny found himself backing out of the doors. His feet didn’t feel like his but he was dimly aware in the back of his mind that they were taking him home instead of back to the inn, the traitors, and that once he was home he would curl up on the couch and the TV would keep him company. Because Steve was back and it was obvious now; Danny was so stupid, so naive to think that with Catherine in town he stood a chance. Catherine was the great love of Steve’s life and Danny was just the chumpy single dad, the back up plan. Danny was at his house now, mind still whirling. He kicked his trash can in frustration, hobbling up his driveway because, ow, that hurt his bad knee. He fumbled his way into the house and okay, he knew it was a bad idea to get drunk at one in the afternoon, but this was a situation that totally called for day drinking. Once he had let himself in, he groped around his sofa cushions for that bottle of vodka that he saved for emergencies (and this was an emergency). He let out a long sigh when his fingers finally wrapped around the head of the bottle, lifting it from it’s hiding spot and uncapping it.

Danny had taken quite a few pulls when furious knocking snapped him out of his wallowing; he groaned loudly, because he knew exactly who it was and he was in no mood for a lecture. The knocking continued, until Kono’s annoyed voice called out.

“Danny!” When he didn’t answer, she called out again.

“Danny Williams, I know you’re in there! Open this damn door before I kick it down!” And that made Danny lurch off the couch and towards the door, because that was Kono’s “not a threat but a promise” voice and he really couldn’t afford to get a new door. He pulled it open with drunken unease, hand still clutching the bottle. Kono was standing there, arms crossed and casting disapproving glances at the vodka. 

“You’re drunk.”

Danny just shrugged, letting her push her way inside as he went to go sit back on the couch. He brought the bottle to his lips, spluttering angrily when Kono quickly snatched the bottle away from him, capping it.

“Kono what the-”

“I don’t care if your fragile little heart has just been broken, I will not let you get drunk and then have Gracie come home from school and see you wallowing pathetically.”

Danny made a noise at the pathetic wallowing part, folding in on himself and turning away from Kono.

“M’not drunk,” he mumbled into the sofa cushion, and Kono sighed.

“You’re a little drunk, Danno,” she said, sitting beside him on the sofa and laying a comforting hand on his back. “You’re a little drunk because you’re worried that with Catherine back in town you’re going to lose Steve, which is ridiculous by the way-”

“It is not! It’s a completely rational fear!” Danny wailed, standing up suddenly.

“Danny-”

“Catherine is stunning and an ex-marine and she travels for work! She’s literally gotten even prettier than she used to be and she’s twenty eight! Twenty eight, Kono! A twenty eight year old, gorgeous whirlwind of adventure and excitement! And what am I, huh? A thirty four year old dad who eats too much junk food and finds it acceptable to get mildly drunk at one thirty! I’m a fuck up, my parents hate me, and the most exciting thing I’ve ever done in my life was jumping out of a tree when I was seven! And… and he’s probably having sex with her right now! As we speak!” he finished in despair, collapsing on the sofa again. He made little noises of distress as Kono continued to rub his back.

“Okay yes, Catherine is really beautiful and yes, Steve has a bad track record when it comes to her. But,” she shushed Danny before he could do something truly embarrassing like cry. “But, she broke Steve’s heart. And Steve, may I add, is totally gone on you. Has been, for years and years. I’m absolutely certain that Catherine, who ran, will not get in the way. I trust Steve to make good decisions, and I don’t think he’d ever hurt you, Danny.” She took his hand, squeezing it. Danny smiled, small but real. 

“So, I’ll call Chin and have him bring over his cheesiest lasagna. That sound good?”

“I wish I was in love with you and not Steve.”

***

“We’re still going to the Beginning of Spring Festival tonight, right Dad?” Grace asked, plopping down on the sofa beside him, handing him a bag of chocolate covered popcorn as they settled in to watch I Love Lucy. Danny rolled his eyes; Wo Fat’s idea of fund raising and bringing the Stars Hollow community together was to make up holidays and special occasions in order to justify having festivals practically every other week. Some of them, Danny would admit, were fun, while others were just plain ridiculous. But seeing as he hadn’t heard from Steve in over five days, he was in the mood to get out. Besides, he actually really liked the spring festivals. And if he went to, possibly, catch a glimpse of Catherine and Steve arm in arm or even better, Steve by himself, then that was his business. 

“Dad?” Grace was looking at him with those inquisitive brown eyes of hers.

“What’s up, kiddo?” 

“I can hear your brain.” 

“Babe, that’s medically impossible,” he said matter of factly, bopping Grace on the nose. A giggle slipped out of her mouth, before she looked at him seriously again. “Jeez alright, I’ll bite. What’s on your mind?”

“You’ve just kinda seemed sad lately, and I don’t know why… Is it-” she stopped, and Danny could feel her hesitation. He nodded for her to finish; he already knew his kid was freaky observant and could read him like a book. She cleared her throat. “It’s Steve, right? Is he being an asshole?” She looked mad all of a sudden, and Danny just wrapped himself around her, willing the frown on her face to go away. He hated when Grace got caught up in his dysfunctional bull shit; he always felt so guilty because in his mind it felt like he was betraying that little infant that had stared up at him all those years ago, so trusting and beautiful. Dragging Grace through all that crap with Rachel was tough enough, hence him staying single for over ten years and keeping any aspects of his romantic/social life shielded from his daughter. Normally, they had an unspoken agreement not to talk about this sort of stuff; both of them got upset easily and it was generally a tender subject. 

“Maybe you should go to the carnival by yourself, Danno,” she suggested, untangling herself from Danny’s protective vise grip. Danny started; she never called him Danno anymore. 

“Gracie, that is not at all necessary. There is nothing more I would love than to accompany you to the festival-”

“Seriously. Wear a nice shirt and put on some cologne and go out with Chin and Kono, it’ll be fun! And that way, you don’t have to worry about me seeing you in an inebriated state.” Danny made an indignant noise and she laughed, ducking out of the way when his hands reached out to grab her. “Go out and meet someone!”

“Meet who? I know every person in this town! There is no one new to meet!” he yelled, throwing a pillow at his scheming kid. She dodged it with a squawk, flinging a bag of marshmallows in retaliation. 

“I’m just saying! You’re not going to be young-ish forever-”

“You take that back! I’ll always be young, blonde, and beautiful and you know it!” he crowed, flipping his hair in an extremely ridiculous way, which only served to make Grace laugh harder. 

“Stop, that was so scary! I’m just saying, I don’t want to be the reason that you behave like the good, upstanding, and sober father at a festival where you have every right to drink a few too many beers and let loose!” 

“When have I ever been the good, upstanding father around here?” Danny smiled at Grace’s eyeroll.

“Stop trying to change the subject. All I’m saying is that if Steve can’t see how awesome you are, then he doesn’t deserve you. If it makes you feel better, I won’t talk to Steve or even to Reese, and we can boycott the diner. And you know I mean that, because I don’t suggest boycotting Steve’s coffee lightly, ever, but I will! I’ll do it!” she declared, perched on the coffee table and pointedly holding her index finger in the air. Danny lunged at her, catching her by the waist and wildly swinging her around. She squealed, hitting him until he put her down; he hugged her tightly, kissing the top of her head. 

“God, you’re a menace. A lovable menace, though,” he added, pushing her face down and craning his neck to rest his chin on top of her head. Grace had been three inches taller than him for a year now, but that didn’t stop them from hugging like they had when she was six and almost a foot shorter. 

“Yeah, yeah, you love me. I get it.” 

***

Danny was relaxed. He had a beer in his hand, he was wearing a nice shirt with the top three buttons unbuttoned, and Gracie was home studying. He had Chin on one side and Kono on the other, Wo Fat had hired a quartet that was crooning a little song about spring, and he really couldn’t have been more content (if his eyes wandered a little bit, that was ignored). Of course, that relaxation stopped when he spotted a distinctly McGarrett-shaped figure with a distinctly Catherine-shaped figure on his arm. He took a long sip of his beer, veering a little bit as soon as Steve made eye contact. 

“Danny where are you- Oh,” Chin glanced back, shooting what looked suspiciously like a look of sympathy at Steve as he hooked an arm around Danny and let himself be steered. Danny didn’t notice Kono peel off and walk away. 

“I’m thinking of heading home, Chin my friend,” Danny announced once they were a good distance farther, patting Chin’s shoulder solemnly. Chin looked at him with a bit of concern.

“You should not be driving,” he replied, keeping Danny’s arm firmly in his grip. Danny narrowed his eyes, scanning the premises and stopping when he saw Kono with Steve. He turned back to Chin with something like disbelief in his eyes.

“You,” he started, yanking his arm away from his traitorous “best friend” and pointing a finger, “You are trying to flank me. You and Kono, I see what you’re doing. And it’s not gonna work because I am walking… Away!” he declared. He did in fact start walking towards his car, ignoring Chin’s protests and the pending Steve/Kono ambush, when his phone rang in his pocket. He fished it out, huffing angrily as he answered, “Yeah, hello?” 

“Dad?” There was something… wrong with Grace’s voice; it was shaky and Danny was immediately tense.

“What happened? What’s wrong?” He sounded gruff and he knew he sounded gruff, but he couldn’t help it because now Grace was rambling, and she sounded small and scared.

“-and Reese didn’t mean it, I swear, we were just going for a little drive, up the street and back, and then we crashed-” And yep, that was Danny’s vision going spotty because here was his daughter, the light of his life, calling to tell him that she was in the hospital because of some teenage delinquent deciding to go for “a little drive”. Suddenly, she was seven years old and falling head first off the monkey bars again, and Danny’s legs were shaking.

“Dad, I swear I’m okay-”

“Baby,” Danny cut her off, startled at how thunderous he sounded. He breathed. “I’ll be at the hospital in less than twenty minutes, and I swear on your grandmother’s life that if a tall, black haired son of a bitch is within ten miles of that hospital and I see him, so help me god, I will strike him down where he stands. Do you understand?”

“It really wasn’t his fault-”

“I’ll see you in fifteen. I love you,” he said, fist clenched so hard that he swore the skin on his palm was broken. 

“I love you,” Grace replied, sounding meek and scared. 

As soon as he had hung up, he ran his hands over his face, feeling twice his age and helpless. When he was done regulating his frighteningly erratic breathing, he looked down at his pocket where his keys were. He debated driving for about .2 seconds before abandoning that idea; two Williams’ hospitalized for getting in a car crash in one night seemed like a situation that wasn’t ideal. So, rather than going back to the festival and facing the inevitable shit storm that was waiting for him, Danny ran. He ran to the nearest person’s house, who thankfully happened to be Babette. She opened the door at his insistent knocking, leaning down to scoop up her cat before it escaped. One look at Danny’s face and she put the cat down, shutting the door behind her. 

“Where to, kiddo?” 

“The hospital. Gracie’s at the hospital and I can’t drive-”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you there.”

***

It was undoubtedly the longest ten minutes of Danny’s life. Babette was great, playing The Smiths and letting Danny ramble the entire car ride. He thanked her profusely as she dropped him off, rushing into the hospital with shaking hands and worry coursing through his veins. He felt sick as he asked where his Grace was, practically sprinting to her room. Seeing her sitting there on the table, arm in a light blue cast and eyes tired, took the air out of his lungs. He took a deep breath when she looked up, her eyes watery, and then he was crushing her in a hug (being mindful of her arm) and kissing her head a million times and mumbling “my baby” into her hair. She cried, apologizing over and over, but Danny just shushed her. His Gracie was alive and only a little broken, and when the doctor came in to examine her he halfheartedly pulled away, hovering the whole time. 

“Well, everything looks fine, Danny. It’s a simple wrist fracture, and the cast will stay on for no more than six weeks,” Max said sagely, nodding as he gave Danny the discharge papers.

“Okay, no offense Max, but my kid was in a car accident. You sure it’s just the arm?” Danny knew he was being ridiculous, but he had every right to be ridiculous. He basked in his ridiculousness. 

“Dad!” Grace groaned. He shushed her.

“... Yes Danny, I am absolutely certain that it is just the arm. Other than that, Grace’s vitals are completely fine, and she is healthy, I promise.” 

“Internal bleeding?”

“No.”

“Infection?”

“No.”

“Bone cancer?”

“Dad wha-”

“No, and I feel I should inform you that cancer is not at all a possibility,” Max said, leveling a flat look at the forms in Danny’s hand. 

“Okay, okay, sorry for worrying about my kid! I’ll sign the damn forms, but first, coffee,” he insisted, setting the forms down on a nearby table as he walked out. He just needed coffee and then-

“Danny!”

Danny stopped because no, absolutely not, this is not what he needed. He didn’t want to turn, but he turned anyway, seeing all six feet of Steve standing there and. God. He looked so wrecked, he looked like how Danny felt, and Danny could not deal. He took a step forward, pissed off and determined, and Steve (who obviously had no sense of self preservation) stepped forward too. Danny stopped, fists clenching, and as Steve got closer he fought the urge to full on brawl right there in the hospital hallway. 

“Danny, I swear didn’t know this was going to-” Danny held up a hand, still focusing on inhaling, exhaling, and not beating the living crap out of this man.

“Why are you here?” he hissed, and Steve’s jaw tightened.

“I’m here because Reese was a dumb ass, and I was worried about Gracie. I drove straight over as soon as he told me-”

“You’re telling me,” Danny cut him off, rage flushing his skin red, “that that moron crashed my kid into a tree and wrecked my car, and then, what? He decided to bolt? He didn’t want to face me?” Danny’s voice was loud now, his anger building, but he didn’t care because fuck Steve and Catherine and Reese; fuck this tiny stupid town and fuck. He felt light headed.

“Danny-”

“Here my kid, my perfect and beautiful kid I may add, is, in a hospital ward scared beyond belief, while your kid, who actually caused the goddamn crash, is probably sitting on the couch at home and watching the Mets game! I knew he was gonna be trouble, but no, you trusted him. I barely have the money to pay for this hospital bill, let alone a new car! I’m sure that, all things considering, you can see why I might be really, really angry right now. Beyond angry, actually-”

“Danno-” And Danny’s eyes snapped to his, outrage coloring over his anger.

“Are you serious? No, really, I’m asking because I am actually concerned right now. Were you in a car crash too? Is that why you’ve so clearly lost your mind? Because honestly, with the way you’ve been treating me the past week-”

“The way I’ve been treating you-”

“Yeah asshole, with the silent treatment and everything, the absolute least you could do is leave, okay? Me and my kid, my broken kid, don’t need you. And I gotta tell you, if Reese was here right now, I’d be yelling at him too. Or throwing him into a wall, I can’t really decide. As it is, I really like your coffee, so I’m gonna leave you in one piece! But so help me god, if you don’t leave in the next minute, I will rescind that kind offer!” he finished, and he was yelling now but he couldn’t help it, his baby could be dead all because he’d let his feelings get in the way of being a responsible parent and Jesus, that hurt him. Steve was staring him down, intimidatingly muscled arms crossed over his chest, looking for all the world like he was gonna say no. Like he was going to refuse and drive them home, be every woman (and Danny’s) domestic wet dream. But Danny wouldn’t let him; he couldn’t look at Steve without his blood boiling and he knew somewhere deep, deep down that it was because of Catherine and the fact that Reese wasn’t there for him to scream at but he didn’t care. Steve took another step forward, and that was the moment that Grace decided to poke her head around the door, unkempt brown hair falling in her face.

“Steve?” She was looking between them with an expression that was parts horror and embarrassment. 

“Gracie, oh my god you’re okay-”

“Go home, McGarrett. We don’t want you here.” Danny’s voice was ice, anger thrumming dangerously below the surface. Steve’s head snapped back in his direction, eyes blazing with anger, before they completely closed off. Danny’s heart hurt as he watched Steve’s face smooth into something carefully blank, before he nodded curtly.

“Get well soon, Grace,” he said in a flat monotone, shooting one last indecipherable look at Danny before stalking off. As soon as he had turned the corner, Danny slumped against the wall and swore quietly. He felt a warm hand on his arm, looking up to see Grace staring right back at him, vulnerable and small. He gave her a weak smile, suddenly feeling really, really old. She pulled him into a hug, tucking her head under his chin. 

“C’mon, let’s go home kiddo,” he murmured into her hair, feeling better purely because she was alive and warm and there.

“Okay. Are you and-” she stopped, taking Danny’s hand. He sighed.

“We will be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back! Part two! Just wanted to mention that I got very emotional writing Danny and Grace, because it's Danny and Grace and my poor heart couldn't take it. Definitely my favorite thing to write. Anyways, stay tuned for part three (though with finals coming up and my history of having a crap uploading schedule, who knows when that will be?). Please let me know about any mistakes seeing as this is still unbeta'd. Toodle pip!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reconciliation is a thing. Also lake-oriented vengeance.

Chin was getting married tomorrow and Danny was the best man. Oh yeah, and Chin was getting married tomorrow, which blew Danny’s mind in pretty much every single way. Chin was the most genuine person Danny had ever met, and had pulled him up during some dark times, but the guy always had a tendency to flit from girl to girl. It had taken him years to finally settle down, only happening after a pretty serious ultimatum from Malia and weed accompanied by some man to man talk from Danny. Danny had no doubt, however, that him and Malia were a match made in heaven. They had been friends for years, and, after all the “I’m afraid to stop acting like a teenage boy and actually buy a house” drama had smoothed out, everything was simple with them. They were almost storybook perfect. It just seemed very… looming all of a sudden; like a sign that Danny needed to get his shit together if even his perpetual bachelor of a best friend had managed to settle down. A small, traitorous part of Danny’s brain was a little depressed at the thought of being alone; he knew that it was only a matter of time before Gracie graduated, got a boyfriend, and moved far away, and then he would be the only one left in his shithole house. The only person he could count on to wallow in perpetual loneliness with him was Steve, and even that wasn’t a guarantee. Danny wasn’t blind; he knew that there would be a line of men and women wrapping around the street corner when Steve finally pulled his head out of his ass and decided to start dating again. His chest hurt a little. 

Life was pretty much normal again. It had been two months since the accident; Grace’s cast was removed (they had discussed keeping him, and yes, they had dubbed him Mr. Casty and decided that he was in fact a him, but ultimately threw him out), Danny and Steve were speaking again (still rocky, but hey, progress was progress), and Reese had run off to New York with his metaphorical tail between his legs. In all honesty, he was practically driven out; nobody hurt the town sweetheart without facing some pretty severe repercussions (including getting snubbed at town events and being on the receiving end of some stone cold glares). Danny had been happy at first; with Reese gone, he and Steve slowly fell into something normal and god, he had missed that pie and coffee and seeing something besides anger in Steve’s eyes. He also didn’t have to worry about Grace pulling anymore stunts or breaking other bones in her body, which was another plus. But Grace had been… off. Danny figured off was probably the right word; she wasn’t any less sweet or polite, did her homework and studied diligently, and overall acted like Grace Williams should act. She gave no indications that anything was different. Which was what threw Danny off; normally, his daughter was an open book. She couldn’t lie to save her life (not that she’d ever wanted to), and Danny could always tell when something was up. For the past month however, his parent senses had been tingling with what seemed to be no probable cause. But Grace was fine, he told himself. She appeared fine, even if his astute observational skills meant that he noticed little things; things like eating less (and okay, sure, it was eating less in terms of one doughnut instead of two or no pineapple on her pizza, but these were valid observations) and more time spent studying instead of watching old shows and even more time on the phone (and Danny knew it couldn’t be Grace’s best friend; her mother was strict and they had never talked for more than two hours on the phone as far as Danny could remember, and Gracie seemed to be tied up for far longer these days). He didn’t want to say anything though; he knew that the thing with Reese had been sort of traumatic for her and had tread carefully ever since on the subject. As if that didn’t already worry him, he also caught her staring absentmindedly sometimes, sighing softly when she thought he wasn’t looking. 

It concerned him a lot, because unlike him, his kid didn’t bottle things up. He just knew there was something wrong, but he was so busy lately that he didn’t have time to go too in depth about it; somehow, he had been roped into being co-wedding planner for Chin’s wedding (which was being thrown at the inn) and was currently concluding what had ended up being an excruciatingly long day filled with flowers, crying in-laws, and candles. So. Many. Candles. Danny was certain that he could go the rest of his life without ever having to smell a vanilla-mango scented candle again. He groaned, scrubbing a hand through his hair as he glanced at the clock on the wall and great, that was just fantastic. It was midnight and here he was, slumped on a couch and reeking of various floral arrangements while trying not to think of Rachel. Oh yes, and Rachel was back, had been for two weeks now; a fact Danny was constantly forgetting until there she was, in his space, walking around town, almost like she had never left. That was how it usually was with her though; she took off, met a man that she was certain of, and sometimes remembered to leave a voicemail on Grace’s birthday. Then Mr. Right wouldn’t pan out for some reason or another, and she came running back to Danny for a bit of emotional manipulation and a quick thing. Danny wasn’t proud of it, but she always managed to catch him at his loneliest; drinks would be involved, that old chemistry would crackle just enough, and suddenly they’d be talking about giving it “one more try”. After a day or two, Rachel’s head would clear up enough for her to hop the next bus, and it always ended with Danny wondering if he was a bad father, or if all this bull shit was his fault.

So yeah, not the best time in the world, but he could deal; having Rachel around made Grace happy, and while it threw him for a loop just seeing her, that was all that mattered. His daughter had a mother, if only for a little while. She had someone who understood makeup and the importance of a good outfit and all the things he had never really understood. He sighed again, mentally preparing himself for the wedding-themed nightmares that would undoubtedly haunt his sleep when he heard a delicate little throat clearing from behind him. He tensed. 

“Long day?” Rachel asked, with that lilting accent of hers. She pushed off the wall that she had been leaning against, sitting on the couch beside Danny, just a hair too close. He was a sucker though; he subconsciously swayed into her space and didn’t really feel like doing anything about it. 

“Yeah, well. It’s for Chin so uh, worth it, y’know?” he said softly, smiling at the memory of his best friend shooting sappy smiles at Malia all day. It really was worth it, even if there was a bittersweet edge for Danny himself, something selfish that he pushed to the back of his mind. 

“Mmm,” Rachel hummed, shifting just a little bit closer, and damn it, Danny was lonelier than he thought. One glance at his lips told him exactly what she wanted, and while he really wanted to, he just… couldn’t find it in him to initiate. But Rachel had never been one to back down, moving even closer. Danny had once found that quality incredibly attractive.

“I think we should try again, Danny. You’ve barely talked to me whilst I’ve been here… I’ve missed you,” she said, and now, now was where she leaned in and Danny did too. This was the part where they’d sleep together, like old times, and Danny wanted nothing more than to restore a little normalcy in his life, because oh god, he needed this. Wanted this but, this wasn’t what he really wanted, not at all. Her eyes were brown, not that calming blue-green color that eased his anxieties, and her hair was too long and soft; she didn’t smell like coffee and the ocean breeze, and when she laid her hand on top of his, her fingers weren’t long and tan and covered with callouses. His heart flipped, and he stopped. Danny heard a noise in the hall, like something being knocked over, and immediately jerked back, because now was not the time to indulge in a little relaxation. Rachel looked at him, hurt all over her face and tension in her shoulders. He felt bad, but the thought of a surprisingly wide smile that always had him catching his breath and soft laughter kept him from leaning back in. He was in love, damn it. With an idiot. But in love nonetheless. 

“I… I’m sorry, Rachel. The thing is-”

“There’s someone else, isn’t there?” Her voice was sad, but her eyes held a certain fondness. 

“Uh, yeah, I mean no, but… sort of? It’s… I don’t know if he’s in it for the long haul or if he really feels the same way but…” 

“But you want him to,” Rachel’s voice was resigned as she said it, slowly removing her hand from Danny’s. She looked at him with those eyes, the same brown as Grace’s, and sighed. She turned away, and Danny let her. The old times had come and gone, and they both knew it. 

“I just,” she started. “I thought I was ready, after everything with Stan and the engagement, I thought I was ready to come back. I wanted us to be a proper family, I really wanted…” she trailed off, looking down at her hands.

“Rach, listen. If you had come five, hell, even ten years ago with something like this, I would’ve said yes. I would’ve said yes so that Gracie could have a complete family, but… I don’t think we would’ve been happy, in all honesty. We would’ve fought all the time, just like we used to. There’s a reason we didn’t get married, remember?” He had a hand on her back now, but it was a friendly, soothing touch, and nothing more. “And, not that I’m the type of person who believes in that bull shit, but, you’ll find someone. I know it. You’re smart and capable and beautiful, and you’ve got a great accent and a spirit for adventure and… I’m just not the guy for you, not anymore at least.” He pulled away, getting up off the couch and extending a hand for Rachel. She took it, smile wobbly.

“Thank you for being honest with me.” Her words were quiet.

“Yeah well, I sort of figured what you came here for,” he replied, feeling a little bad about the wince on Rachel’s face when he said it. “You probably shouldn’t stick around, Rach. Go traveling and meet some hot Italian guy, or something. You never really liked it here anyway, and Grace will understand. She always does.” He smiled at the thought of his not-so-little girl. “Our baby’s growing up.” She nodded and was suddenly composed again, reminding Danny of that poised beauty that he had fallen in love with all those years ago.

“I hope you get your man, Danny.” She kissed his cheek and was gone, the smell of her perfume and a lipstick stain on Danny’s right cheek the only evidence of her ever having been there. Danny rubbed his forehead, suddenly fatigued, making the decision that tonight he would sleep on the couch. He loosened his tie, kicking off his shoes and socks as he sank onto the sofa cushion; he was so, so glad that he had decided to get the inn new couch cushions. He rubbed his eyes, shutting the lamp off before letting his head hit the pillow. Normally, Danny had a hard time getting to sleep; insomnia was a bitch sometimes. But exhaustion from the day’s events claimed him, until he was fast asleep at an angle that he absolutely knew would kill his neck. He couldn’t have been asleep for more than a few hours, though, when he heard a bang from the kitchen. He shot up with a start, looking around wildly before taking a few deep breaths and ow, his neck hurt so much, Jesus fuck. He was muttering angrily as he tiptoed to the kitchen, his fear winning out over his pride in terms of whether or not as a grown man he should be tiptoeing anywhere. He gently pushed the door open, grabbing a nearby pot and getting ready to swing in case it was a burglar or something. What he found was Chin pacing in front of his wedding cake and mumbling under his breath, a bottle of whiskey sitting untouched on a nearby table. Danny faltered, gently setting the pot in his hand down. He didn’t really know what to do; in all their years together, Chin had always been the level headed one, never panicking. Yet here he was. Apparently flipping out. The day before his very important wedding. Upon further observation and some squinting, Danny realized that Chin was wearing his wedding tux, which worried him even more. Maybe he’d finally lost it?

“Chin?” Chin froze, turning towards Danny with a manic gleam in his eye. Danny took a cautious step forward. “What the hell are you doing pacing around in your tux at-” he glanced at the clock. “-five in the morning? That is very unlike you buddy, I gotta say.” Chin just stood there, looking rumpled and wild. Danny stepped a little closer, realizing that he was safe from any panicking groom related injuries. “So c’mon, out with it. What’s causing all this delightful pre-marital stress?” he smiled, clapping a hand on Chin’s shoulder and steering him to a nearby stool. He reached back for the whiskey, setting it nearby as he rifled through the cabinet for a couple of glasses. He looked pointedly at Chin as he started pouring, gesturing for him to speak. Chin sighed, scrubbing a hand through his crazy bed head and looking at Danny with tired eyes. He took Danny’s offered glass, downing almost the entire thing. Danny gave him a look of sympathy. “That bad, huh?” 

“I just… What if I’m making a mistake?” He looked miserable as he said it, eyes looking at the floor. 

“Are you… Okay, seriously? What the actual fuck, man,” Danny groused. Chin just rolled his eyes and grabbed for the whiskey. Danny swiftly grabbed it back.

“Danny, please.”

“Nope, I don’t think so. I am not letting you get shitfaced the night before your wedding, even though that’s something I would absolutely do, because tomorrow you are going to marry the love of your life. She’s beautiful and smart and doesn’t put up with your “scared bachelor” bullshit, and she will always be there for you.” Chin’s head perked up at that, and Danny was satisfied to see some of the fear melting away. “Yeah that’s right, idiot, she loves you. And you should be glad, too. At the end of the day, you’ll have someone, for the rest of your life. She ain’t leaving pal; I guarantee you that she’s in it for the long haul. No matter how fucked up you are, she loves you and she always will. Instead of wallowing in your inherent self deprecation, remember that she’s with you forever. That means for the rest of time. Okay?” Danny, in an act of extreme kindness, poured a little more whiskey into each glass, pushing one over to Chin with his elbow. Chin smiled at him gratefully, and he looked so relieved that Danny almost wanted to smack him; Chin freakouts were rare, but when they happened it was almost impossible to make him believe that he deserved any happiness or security. 

“Thanks, Danno, really. I appreciate it... I just- I don’t want to fall apart y’know? I’m so happy, but I’m still worried about fucking it up, even though I know that Malia would still be there for me. I’m scared that I have too many issues-”

“I almost slept with Rachel.”

“... Oh.” 

“Yeah. You think you got issues...” Danny rubbed at his eyes.

“Why didn’t you sleep with her? Normally whenever she comes into town you’re on that in a second.” Danny sighed, long and frustrated. 

“I think I’m in love with McGarrett.” Chin just looked at him, unsurprised and waiting for a punchline or cracked smile. When nothing happened, he silently poured all the whiskey in his glass into Danny’s, and Danny tilted his head in thanks. They sat in companionable silence for another ten minutes, drinking slowly and steadfastly ignoring Danny’s drunken confession. That was one thing that Danny loved the most about Chin; unlike Kono and basically the rest of the town, Chin knew when not to pry and was respectful about it. Danny looked up at the clock, which read 6:00, and scrubbed a hand through his hair. “C’mon buddy, let’s get you to bed. You’ve got a big day ahead of you, and Malia would never forgive you if you fell asleep halfway through the ceremony,” he teased, pulling Chin up and walking him through the kitchen. He continued to walk him all the way to his room, where he proceeded to hug him for a solid five minutes and then push him through the door with a muttered “idiot”. As soon as the door was shut and he was 100% sure that Chin was sound asleep, he slapped a hand over his face and stumbled back down the stairs to where his makeshift sofa bed was calling him. He was getting way too old for this bullshit. 

***

Chin and Malia’s wedding was sweet and simple and so them that Danny had been beaming all day. Maybe he cried. So sue him. Malia looked gorgeous in her flowy gown, with light makeup and flowers adorning her hair. Chin looked unfairly handsome in a navy blue tux with light yellow accents, and everything was so beautiful that Danny mentally patted himself on the back for a job well done (and also silently told himself that he was never going to try being a coordinator for a wedding again). Those flower arrangements had nearly been the death of him, but it was all worth it seeing the happy couple making eyes at each other and having Gracie next to him in a pretty purple dress and vibrating with excitement. She always loved weddings; she was a romantic through and through, and enjoyed seeing everyone happy, which, even though he wasn’t a fan of the whole wedding thing, made Danny happy. What had really thrown him though, was Steve in a James Bond suit (a very rare occurrence), looking absolutely delicious and making Danny grit his teeth in order to keep himself from saying something stupid like “I’m super in love with you” or “I would very much like to suck your dick”. It was all he could do to restrain himself from jumping him right then and there. Yeah, he had it bad, but he was just glad that Kono was too distracted by all the wedding stuff to turn her shrewd and all-knowing gaze on him. She could read him like a book, and he hated it with a passion. Thankfully, he had been saved the potential awkwardness of having to talk to Steve while half-hard because as soon as he had made inadvertent eye contact, Steve’s jaw had tightened and he had turned away with anger in his eyes. Then he had proceeded to ignore him all morning. Danny was confused (obviously), but shrugged and figured that whatever had Steve all pissy would be worked out soon enough. Besides, he was busy watching his best friend and his beautiful new wife walk down the aisle and towards the reception hall, tightly clasping hands and smiling like they never wanted this day to end. He clapped along with all the other guests, and people got up and talked and laughed. Waiters came out with hors d'oeuvres, and the actual party had officially begun. Danny grinned as he snagged two flutes of champagne off of a nearby tray; this was his favorite part. He and his little girl were gonna tear up the dance floor as soon as he was a few glasses in. 

“Hey dad, I’m- I need to go to the bathroom,” Grace said in a strange voice, but Danny didn’t even notice, too busy staring at Steve, who wouldn’t look at him and was just standing there with his arms crossed. So he just waved at her, muttering something about having a good time because he was so done with Steve McGarrett’s bullshit. So done. He was at such a high level of done that he put down his (now empty) glasses and began to stalk towards Steve determinedly, not giving a damn that he was being ogled by nosey middle aged ladies who were just waiting for the drama to come to a head. He saw Steve’s eyes widen as he tried to find an escape, any escape, and oh no. Danny was absolutely not letting him off the hook for being so weird and ignoring him and glaring. He wasn’t having any of that, so he just continued to speed walk, watching Steve get more and more panicky before realizing that escape was futile and just shutting down completely. Danny kept going until he bumped right into him and okay ow, that might not have been the smartest move because Steve was literally a brick wall and barely moved at all. But Danny didn’t care, because he was pissed off and Steve made him do irrational things. 

“Are you mad at me?” Danny hissed, because as angry as he was, he didn’t want to disrupt what had been a great wedding so far. Steve pointedly raised an eyebrow, which made Danny roll his eyes and huff. Things could just never be easy, could they? “Okay, so you’re mad. I don’t understand what I did or what the fuck crawled up your ass and died, but I’m sick of it, okay? I won’t put up with your hissy fits, McGarrett.” And that got a reaction; Steve’s nostrils flared and suddenly he was in Danny’s space.

“You’re making a scene,” he snarled, his solid warmth distracting Danny for a moment and fuck, he was so done. 

“If you don’t want me ‘making a scene’, than you should tell me what the hell is wrong with you. I-”

“You want to know what’s wrong? Really?” Steve’s hand was like a brand on Danny’s forearm and wow, obviously yelling at Steve in public did it for him (which was actually really embarrassing but Danny had no pride left at all so he honestly didn’t even care). “You. Beating around the bush and driving me crazy. I have enough dignity to realize when something’s a lost cause, but you’ve still gotten under my skin in a way that I can’t shake. Even though it’s become clear to me that you have other interests-” Wait, what? Danny was so confused, so utterly confused, because Steve was obviously speaking gibberish or Cantonese or he had had more champagne than he thought. Because, beating around the bush? What the fuck did that even mean? Danny was gaping, and he knew that it wasn’t really an attractive look on him, but he couldn’t help it. He just continued to gape, until Steve blew out a frustrated breath and removed his hand from Danny’s arm. “Thought so. I- have fun with Rachel. You two deserve each other.” The way he said her name, with contempt and a bit of sadness, was enough to snap Danny back to reality; his shitty reality, where the literal man of his dreams was walking away from him, all because, what? He thought that Danny was with Rachel again?

“McGarrett, fuck, Steve-”

“Oh, and I never got to formally thank you for getting my nephew driven out. He’s back in town by the way, got in off a bus yesterday, not that you’d know because Gracie would never tell you. He’s hiding around here somewhere because he’s too afraid to face everyone.” And then he was off, tearing through the crowd and leaving Danny to process everything being thrown at him, gawping like a fish out of water. He grabbed another glass of champagne, ignoring the pointed glances being shot his way as he downed it in one. That was the moment he realized that Grace was missing from his side, and, remembering the oddness of her voice, his parental instincts kicked into full drive. Fuck Steve and his frustratingly convoluted explanations. All the shit in Danny’s life had just come to a head and exploded in his face and he needed to find his little girl. When he turned to leave, he saw Chin and Kono giving him matching concerned looks; he shook his head quickly, pointing towards the door, and they nodded their understanding. Danny thanked every god in existence for his best friends, pushing the hall’s double doors open and looking around wildly. He had only gone a few steps before being pulled into a crushing hug; Grace’s makeup was smudged and tears were running in rivulets down her face, smashing Danny’s heart to pieces. He shushed her sobbed apologies, about not telling him anything and keeping secrets, and pet her hair and just let her cry; he didn’t give a damn about mascara on his suit or lipstick on his dress shirt. His baby girl was crying about love and how much she had missed Reese and how surprised she had been about missing him (he knew the feeling), and he couldn’t even find it in him to be angry, just devastated. Love sucked, and he had been selfishly hoping that after Dean, Grace would consider taking a pledge of chastity and become a nun. He might’ve said those last words out loud, because Grace erupted into a fit of half-sobbed giggles, snorting a little bit (which was insanely adorable). She stopped, glaring at him.

“You’re not allowed to make fun of me for snort-laughing. Ever.”

“I’m never letting it go. From now on, I’m only gonna refer to you as Miss Piggy,” Danny replied, smiling at Grace’s indignant squawks and weak slaps. 

“You’re the actual worst,” she laughed, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand. Danny was satisfied to see that while she was still a little rattled, she wasn’t crying anymore; score one for Dad, he thought, mentally high fiving himself. He wrapped an arm around her waist, so skinny that it sometimes took him by surprise, and gently pulled her out the front door of the building. He fired off a quick text to Chin, then pocketed his phone.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m the worst dad alive and you hate me. Want me to take your shoes, babe?” Danny could tell from Gracie’s stilted walking that her heels (admittedly a little too high for his liking) were getting uncomfortable. She nodded, bracing against him as she unstrapped her light pink shoes, letting him take them from her as they continued to walk. 

“Thanks, dad,” she said, her voice small and so young that it made Danny’s heart ache. He smiled, ruffling her hair (to which she protested greatly) and deciding to save the overprotective “no boys until you’re thirty” freakout for later. 

“Let’s go home. There’s a bag of chocolate popcorn that’s calling our names, kiddo.”

***

“I pushed Reese into the lake.” Danny paused mid-sip, raising an eyebrow at the sudden declaration. They were having coffee at Kamekona’s; Grace had been absorbed in her reading, well, up until a second ago.

“Um, okay? Why did you-”

“He also kissed me-”

“He kissed you-”

“-I kissed him back. Then I pushed him into the lake. In case you were wondering how that all happened,” she stopped talking abruptly, hiding her face in her book. Danny felt some paternal rage well up at all the kissing (he was perfectly entitled, okay?), but quickly tamped it down; his bewilderment at Grace’s behaviour was winning out over his urge to grab a bat and hunt Reese down. Besides, he wasn’t all that surprised about the budding relationship. After the wedding a few days ago, Grace had broken down and told him everything; they had talked for hours almost everyday, he sent her little mementos and postcards from the city, he met up with her in secret at the wedding and told her he had feelings for her, she cried. It was all very intense and dramatic, but he listened and ordered the cheesiest pizza ever, because he was awesome like that.

“Okay, so,” he paused, rubbing his forehead. “Just- okay, tell me all of that again, but slowly. Your old man is really lost here, and, wait. First tell me why you pushed Reese into the lake, because even though that is absolutely something I would’ve done, you’re not me and it’s not really making sense to me. He did kiss you, right?” Danny was massaging his temples now; god, his kid and her complicated love life. She nodded, and suddenly there was an intense, steely look in her eyes that reminded him far too much of Rachel. 

“I pushed Reese into the lake because- because Steve’s being an asshole!” she practically yelled, slamming a hand down onto the table with a sudden and unrecognizable anger. Danny was not at all ashamed to admit that he jumped a solid two feet in the air, because Gracie never yelled or slammed anything. She shot him an apologetic glance, suddenly looking very embarrassed, though luckily the restaurant was empty. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell but… I’m just so frustrated. I wish Steve would stop brooding and just, I don’t know, use his words.”

“You and me both kiddo,” Danny chuckled, raising his coffee cup in a sort of toast gesture. Grace rolled her eyes.

“I wish you both would use your words, actually. I… I really like Reese- I do!” she promised, holding up a finger at Danny’s unvoiced doubts. “It might seem unlikely, but I really, really like him. However, if Steve’s being a moron, then as a relative, Reese is included in that. So, I’ve temporarily boycotted him, until Steve decides to pull his head out of his ass. Williams solidarity, dad.” She looked so determined, with fire in her eyes and her fists clenched; she had never sworn so much in one sentence. Danny just laughed, loud and bright, and when he looked at her his chest swelled with an overwhelming amount of love and affection; he wondered how he had gotten so lucky.

“C’mere.” He got up and pulled her into a hug, tucking her head in the crook of his neck. She smiled and held him tightly. “God, you’re the best kiddo. Don’t know what I’d do without you, seriously.” He pulled away, leveling her with a look. “But, I don’t want you pushing Reese into the lake to, I don’t know, ‘defend my honor’ or something. Steve and I are gonna talk things out like real adults and it’ll all be fine, okay?”

“... Does this mean that I can see Reese? And, um, date him, maybe?” she said with hope in her voice, looking at Danny with wide, “innocent” eyes. He snorted. 

“Fine, fine. I just better not catch him climbing out of your window in the middle of the night anymore, you hear me?” 

“That was one time!” He laughed, kissing the top of her head. 

“Love you so much,” he murmured into her hair.

“Love you too.”

“But just because I love you doesn’t mean that once all this drama is over I won’t sit Reese down and tell him about the guns I own.”

“Dad!”

***

Danny was in a state of complete disbelief. Like, actual disbelief. He honestly couldn’t believe his luck. He had gone out to look for Steve, having decided that enough was enough and determined to confront him when, as he was walking, a truck had pulled to a stop right in front of him. Steve’s truck. Because of course.

“Danny! Oh my god, I’ve been looking for you everywhere-” Danny held up a hand, because he had absolutely no time or patience and he was pretty fucking mad.

“Nope. I’m speaking. It’s me time, so shut up and listen.” Danny was absolutely not pleased and slightly aroused at the sight of Steve shutting his mouth almost immediately. “Right now, we’re gonna talk and work out all the shit between us, because I’m honestly tired of the town giving me pitying looks like I’m in the middle of a nasty divorce or something. I hate the fact that our kids are sad because we’re fighting, which, honestly, the reason why this all started is stupid as all hell. You’ve gotten mad, ignored me, made assumptions, and to top it all off, you’ve been evasive as fuck. I’d expect this type of behaviour from my sixteen year old daughter, but you are a grown ass adult. I mean, you don’t act like one at all, but you are. So cut the bullshit, because honestly the last time we talked, you seemed to hold a lot of contempt for the mother of my child and just assumed that I was with her again which, who gave you the right? I just want answers, Steve. Solid answers, not grunting and flexing or however else you communicate because you’re an actual caveman-”

“Jesus, Danny, how about you just let me speak for once?” Danny glared in response. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I… I let my emotions get to me, and I dragged you and Gracie and Reese down with me. Everything got so messed up, and I should’ve known that I was too much to handle. I’m possessive and uncommunicative-”

“That’s true-”

“-and I just couldn’t get over the fact that you were back with Rachel even though she’s Gracie’s mom and… When I saw you kiss her, I, uh, acted really childishly and I might’ve broken a lamp and then just left it there out of spite-”

“I knew you knocked over that lamp, you asshole-” 

“Shut up and let me speak oh my god.”

“Fine, whatever.”

“Um… I- you don’t have to worry about me anymore, because I just want you to be happy and even though I really want it to be me making you smile-” Danny berated his heart for speeding up; he was not a teenage girl, damn it. “- Rachel obviously makes you happy, so even though I have feelings for you, I’m gonna be your friend first. I’m sorry for being a douche and pushing everything onto you when it was clearly unwanted; I totally understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore because-”

“I’m in love with you, you obtuse asshole!” Oh. Danny hadn’t really been planning on saying that, but Steve and his… everything made him really fucking frustrated. Steve’s mouth was hanging open, a flush high on his face, and he looked bewildered and so, so beautiful. Danny could barely stand to look. “I don’t know when it happened, but it’s true. If you had actually stayed for like, a second longer, you would’ve seen me pull away and tell Rachel that there was someone else. That someone is you, by the way, because you’re it for me, loser. You always have been. And you really have some nerve to yell at me over Rachel when you did the same thing with Catherine! Yeah, that’s right, I got mad and pushed you away after the accident because of Catherine. It was childish, and yes, now I realize that nothing was actually happening, but how do you think I felt then? How do you think it felt to see you, traipsing around town with a beautiful girl on your arm, and to hear the town talking about how she was your ‘one true love’? Do you see how I could’ve, y’know, maybe gotten the impression that you were with her?” 

“Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘oh’. I can’t even believe you, I-” he stopped, realizing where they were and wow, that definitely wasn’t a coincidence. He closed the five or so feet of distance between them, braced his hands on Steve’s (unfairly muscular) chest, and pushed, watching with extreme satisfaction as he tumbled into the lake with a shout. He crossed his arms over his chest, openly smirking because damn, now he saw where Grace was coming from. Steve emerged, wet and spluttering, and Danny just smirked even more. 

“I guess the whole lake thing is genetic, then?” Steve called out, hair plastered to his head and making Danny chuckle. 

“Yeah, I guess. The universe just isn’t satisfied until a Williams pushes a McGarrett into whatever body of water is closest.” 

“Whatever, you think you can help me out?” he grunted, still bobbing in the water and looking absolutely ridiculous. Danny snorted.

“I don’t think so, buddy. I’m not really in the mood to be violently murdered and then never be found again,” he said, backing away slowly.

“Danny- hey, don’t leave! I… I probably deserved that,” he finished, almost too quiet for Danny to hear. 

“Ugh, now I have to rescue you,” Danny sighed in a put upon way, holding out two hands and managing to pull Steve out. They sat in a moment of silence, Danny’s mouth going dry as Steve took off his soaked shirt.

“Excuse me, not fair! You can’t strip to render me silent!” he squawked, not even trying to look away from his torso. 

“Nothing can render you silent, Danno. And what was I supposed to do, keep my wet shirt on?” He smiled, no, full on beamed at Danny, completely throwing him. To be fair, no one had ever truly survived an encounter with Steve McGarrett’s mega-watt smile, so the fact that Danny was still sort of coherent was impressive in itself. Steve cleared his throat. “Kono talked to me.” Danny groaned; Kono’s talks were never fun. Steve just nodded, looking a little embarrassed. “She told me that I was being an idiot and that I should go find you before you ‘offed yourself’ or, uh, something.” He scratched the back of his head, Danny’s eyes tracking the flexing of his arm muscles because he was completely shameless at this point. 

“I was never in any danger of offing myself, just so you know.”

“Yeah well, she was right. I made up my own obstacles because… because I was scared of how much I wanted you,” he stood up, taking Danny’s hand and pulling him up too. He didn’t let go. “But I’m not scared anymore. You’re not Catherine, you- you’re something else entirely.” He came in close, and Danny’s breath caught in his throat.

“Should I be offended by that?” he whispered, licking his lips. Steve brought his other hand up to cup his jaw, smiling. 

“If you promise not to push me in the lake again, can I kiss you?” Danny didn’t even bother to respond, just pushed up on his tip toes and kissed him for all he was worth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH IT'S DONE!!! I'm so sorry for being MIA, but the last few weeks of school really kicked my ass and then I had a hard time writing this chapter. Thanks for all the kudos and wonderful comments; I've had such a great time writing this. Please let me know if you wanna see more of this universe (I may or may not already have a sequel planned)!! Unbeta'd as always (btw apologies in advance because this section is so, so long)

**Author's Note:**

> Soooooooooo this is probably going to be a train wreck, but I pinky-promise that I will try my absolute hardest to update as often as possible (despite strong evidence to the contrary)!! But I'm feeling really confident about this... sort of... So, if a delightfully charming little fic about two idiots in love who don't know they're in love until it gets a bit ridiculous and angsty sounds alluring, then this is the fic for you!! Happy reading! *jazz hands* (P.S. this is unbeta'd, so all mistakes are my own)


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